Electrical apparatus



Dec. 27, 1960 c. w. Roo'r ET AL ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed April 17.1958 United States Patent O ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Charles W. Root,Sidney, and Edward M. Moss, Unadilla,

N.Y., assgnors to The Bendix Corporation, a corporation of DelawareFiled Apr. 17, 195s, ser. Ne. 729,094

1s Claims. (Cl. 20o-87) This invention relates to electrical apparat-usand more particularly to control means for a relay switch.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel devicewhereby the contactor of a normally automatic relay switch may bemanually engaged and moved to an operating position upon the failure ofthe normal automatic operation.

Another object is to provide a novel device whereby the contactor of anormally automatic relay switch may be manually engaged and held inoperating position and whereby the resumption'of the normal automaticoperation will simultaneously and automatically release the manuallyoperated holding means.

Another object is to provide a novel device whereby the contactor of anormally automatic relay switch may be engaged and disengaged manuallyto move the contactor into and out of operating position upon thefailure of the normal automatic operation.

Another object is to provide a novel device of the above character whichwill avoid the danger of a manual means being inadvertently left inengagement with the contactor ofv a relay switch.

Another object is to provide a novel control means and novel means formounting the same in a relay switch.

A still further object is to provide a novel manual means for engagingthe contactor on a relay switch which is simple in construction andwhich will automatically return from its operative to its inoperativeposition upon the resumption of the normal automatic operation of therelay switch.

The above and further objects and novel features of the presentinvention will more fully appear from the following detail description,when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. Itis to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for thepurpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of thelimits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. l is a side elevation, with parts broken away and partly insection, of a relay switch and control means therefor embodying one formof the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of theY device shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, with parts broken away and partly insection, showing a relay switch with the control means in operativelocked position; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse `section taken substantially on the line 4--4 ofFig. l.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, by way ofexample, is in the form of a device which is adapted to prevent themanual means employed jmeanstogether with manual means for alternativelyop- "eratng the control meansv upon thefailure of the auto- -matic meansand in-whichit is necessary,-to avoid pos- 2,966,568 Patented Dec. 27,1960 ice sible damage to equipment in the circuit, to make certain thatthe manual means is ret-urned to its inoperative position upon theresumption of the automatic means. One common and practical use for thisdevice is in conjunction with an ignition system for an outboard motorhaving a magneto circuit and in which it is desired to have the magnetocircuit short-circuited when the outboard motor is not operating and tohave the short-circuit removed when the outboard motor is operating.

Turning now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1l the constructionof a novel relay switch generally designated as 10. Switch 10 has acasing 11 made, for example, of metal generally cylindrical in shape andhaving an axially inwardly bent ilange 12 at the bottom p0rtion thereof.Telescopically mounted within casing 11 and abutting flange 12 is anelectromagnet 13 having a cylindrical casing 14. Removably mounted onthe top surface of electromagnet 13 is a spring 31. A novel axiallymovable contact plate 29 is movably mounted within casing 11 and restson the top of and is supported by spring 31. A cap 15 is telescopicallyand xedly mounted in the top portion of casing 11 and has in its bottomface an annular recessed area 36, said recessed area being defined byintegrally formed and downwardly projecting arcuately shaped legportions 16 with slotted areas 17 deining the arcuate spaces between legportions 16. The bottom surfaces of leg portions 16 abut the top surfaceof electromagnet casing 14. Terminals 18 and 19 are mounted in cap 15,the lower end of each protruding into the top portion of the recessedarea 36. With cap 15 fixedly mounted in the top of casing 11, the spring31 is partially axially compressed and the novel contact plate 29 andspring 31 are contained within the recessed area 36. Contact plate 29has a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the recessedarea 36 and is provided with protrusions or ears 37 located on its outerperipheral edge. Ears 37 have a peripheral arcuate width substantiallythe same as the width of slots 17 so `that when the cap 15 is mounted inthe top of casing 11, the ears 37 will be received in the slots 17 andallow the contact plate free axial movement Within recessed area 36.

When the electromagnet 13 in this novel relay switch is not energized,as shown in Fig. l, the contact plate 29 willbe urged upwardly againstterminals 18 and 19 by spring 31 thus electrically connecting the same.Upon 'energization of the electromagnet the contact plate 29 will bemagnetically pulled downwardly toward the electromagnet and against theaxial compressive force of spring 31 thus breaking the electricalcontact between terminals 18 and 19. A manual means to engage thecontact plate 29 and move the same downwardly to break electricalcontact between terminals 18 and 19 is provided, whereby the device maybe operated when the electromagnet immediately fails to become energizedor becomes de-energized during operation. This invention embodies anovel manual means to engage and move the contact plate 29 downwardly.

The novel manual means for operating the contact plate 29 comprises acap 15 having an aperture 20 and a recessed slotted area 21 transverselyof its lower end. Positioned within aperture 20 is a plunger 22 havingan enlarged portion 23 at its upper end and a pin 24 transverselymounted through its lower end. Pin 24 is of substantially the samelength as the slot 21 and is adapted to be seated in the slot. A spring26 surrounds the top portion of plunger 22 and has its upper endretained in' slot 27 of head 23 and its lower end retained in slot 34located in the upper surface of cap 15. Spring 26, as assembled on thetop portion of plunger 22, is partially `axially compressed and alsopartially wound up to enthus normally urge the plunger 22 upwardly untilthe pin 24 is fully seated in slot 21. In such position the plunger willbe held from rotation by the interlocking .lofpin 24 and slot 21. Toenable the plunger to be rotated it is irst necessary to press itdownwardly a sufcient distance to disengage pin.24 from slot 21. Arectangularlyshaped key or lug 25 is integrally formed on and projectsfrom thelower face of plunger 22 and isso positioned ,thatits longestaxis is 90 from the longest axisofpin 24. The shoulderportions of key 25may Ibe -beveled as and for a purpose hereinafter to appear. A shoulder28 is integrally formed on the lower surface 'of cap 15 adjacent one endof the recessed slot 21 and positioned within the path of rotation ofpin 24. Shoulder 28 has a thickness less than the distance thatterminals 18 and 19 protrude into the recessed area 36 toravoidinterfering with and preventing contact plate29` from establishingelectrical contact between lterminals 18 and 19.

`One edge of shoulder 28 preferably is in alignment with the wall ofrecessed slot 21 to integrally form an extension thereof. Shoulder 28thus formed will permit plunger 22, when it has been moved axiallydownwardly lso that pin 24 is clear of slot 21, to rotate only in aclockwise direction which further winds up the spring Aand imposes agreater torque on the plunger in a counterclockwise direction andfurther serves as a stop for the pin 24 when it rotates in a clockwisedirection. Contact plate 29 has a rectangularly shaped `aperture 30adapted `to receive the key 25 of plunger 22.

In its assembled relation, as shown in`Fig. l, the con- 'tact plate 29is positioned within casing 11 in such a `is in upmost axial positionand key 25 located at its lower Vend is in a higher horizontal planethan a horizontal plane passing through the ends of terminals 18 and 19so as not to interfere with or prevent contact plate 29 from making agood electrical vcontact across the terminals. In such positions the key25 of plunger 22 and aperture 30 of contact plate 29 are out of registerwith .each other so that upon the downward movement of plunger 22 thekey 25 will not register with slot 30 but will abut the top surface ofcontact plate 29 and will be positioned across slot 39. Plunger 22 to berotated, vas described above, has to be pressed downwardly a sufficientdistance to allow pin 24 to be disengaged from slot y21. This downwardaxial movement will move contact plate 29 axially downward a sufficientdistance tobreak the electrical contact between terminals 18 and 19. Therotation of plunger 22 is limited to a clockwise direction by shoulder28 as described above and upon clockwise rotation of the plunger its key25 becomes aligned and .interlocked with slot 30 of contact plate 29 andprevents return rotation of the plunger. The interlocking is positivelyaccomplished by the constant upward axial force exerted on contact plate`29 by spring 31 which forces aperture 30 and key 25 intointerlockingengagement as soon as they come into register with eachother.

The axial downward movement and clockwiserotation `of plunger 22 notonly axially compresses spring 26 Abut Yplaces the spring under a stillgreater tensionin a clockwise direction. When the plungeris freedfrornitsinter- .locked position with contact plate 29 .it will forceablyVvbe ,rotated counter-clockwise and .simultaneously will .be

under an axial upward Yforcedue tothe tensioning and compressing ofspring 26 so that as pin24 of the plunger :rotates into alignment with,slot 21 .it will be seated in the .slot thus; instantly returning theplunger .to its raised position aszshownink Fig. `1.

z-Whenplunger.22and:contactzplatel9raregmovd,doyvnand into electricalcontact with the terminals,

wardly and locked together as shown in Fig. 3, the contact plate 29 ismoved less than its possible normal downward travel which is exertedwhen being pulled by the force of electromagnet 13. Also, when plunger22 and contact plate 29 are in this downward locked positionelectromagnet 13 is not energized. However, upon the energization of theelectromagnet the contact plate 29 will be pulled Adownwardly a stillfurther distance. This further downward movement of the contact platewill disengage key 25 on the plunger from aperture 30 in the contactplate thus releasing the plunger and allowing it to be immediatelyreturned to its released or raised position as described above and shownin Fig. l. Applicants invention thus provides a manual control for acontact plate which will enable the contact plate to be operated withoutdepending upon the functioning of the electromagnet and at the same timethe manual control will automatically be returned to its irffctiveposition when the electromagnet is energized. ne function of the plunger22 may be utilized either when the electromagnet 13 has not initiallybeen energized or when -during operation the electromagnet becomesde-energized.

Should it become necessary to use the above described novel manual meansto operate the contact plate 29 and should it be impossible to supplyenergy to Velectromagnet 13 to disengage the manual means fromthecontact plate, then alternative meansmay be'provided to disengage key25 of the plunger from the Vaperture 30 in the contact plate 29 to allow.the contact plate to vreturn to itsinoperative position withoutinterference from theplunger. One such means resides in thebevelledshoulders :of `key 25 whereby a slight rotational pressuremanually applied to the head of plunger 22 will be sufficient to causekey 25 to become disengaged from aperture 30 in the contact plate.Alternatively, it may be desirable to have the -shoulders of key 25 notbevelled in which case means operable through the top of cap 15 may beprovided whereby a slight downward pressure may be vapplied to the topsurface of contact plate 29 of suflicient magnitude to disengage key 25from-aperture 30.

While the embodiment 'shown in the drawings and described abovecontemplates the use of a normally closed relay switch, the inventionmay be equally applicable to a normally open relay switch. In a normallyopen" relay switch the terminals '18 and 19 would be positioned belowthe contact plate 29 within the recessed area 36. In such a switch, thecontact plate 29 would-normally be urged upwardly against the top ofrecessed'area 36 by spring 31 and away from electrical contact with theterminals. Upon energization of the electromagnet, the contact platewould be magnetically pulled downwardly Upon the `failure of theelectromagnet to become energized, either initially or during operation,the plunger 22, operating in the same manner as described above in theclosed relay switch, enables the Contact plate to be manually moveddownwardly to establish an electrical connection between the terminals.The plunger 22 and contact plate 29 are interlocked in this downwardposition in the same manner as in the closed relay switch. Theinterlocking prevents return rotation of the plunger. The energ-izationof the electromagnet after the plunger and contact plate are interlockedwill cause the contact plate to be magnetically moved downwardly a stillfurther distance whereby the key 25 of the plungerbecomes disengagedfrom the aperture of the contactV plate thusrreleasing the plunger andallowing it toautomaticallyreturn to itsraised position. 'The terminals18 and'19 maybe Vresiliently mounted within recessed 'area 36 to vallowthe Contact plate rto establish Velectrical YContact with `the terminalsin its iirst downward vposition exerted by the .downward ,movement ofplunger 22 .and to maintain Vtheelectrical .connection `between thecontact `plate .and lvthe terminals twhile .the 4v Contact plate gisvvmoved .still further downwardly ,upon

energization of the electromagnet to cause the contact plate and theplunger to become disengaged. The downward movement of contact plate 29and the resilient terminals need only `be enough to permit the key 25 tobecome disengaged from slot 30 in the contact plate to release theplunger and allow it to return to its raised position. o Cap 15 may beretained in casing 11`by any of several conventional means such asdepressing dimples 32 in the upper peripheral edge of casing 11 into theupper peripheral surface offthe cap.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, it is to be expressly understood that theinvention is not limited thereto', For example, this same type of relayswitch which may be used to control the magneto circuit in an outboardmotor ignition system, may be used as well in many other environments.The shoulder portions on the plunger key 25 need not be bevelled and itslongest axis Imay be something other than 90 in relation to the longestaxis of pin 28. Moreover, in assembled inactive relationship of theplunger and the contact plate the angular relationship between thelongest axis of key 25 and the longest axis of slot 30 may be somethingother than 90 as long as the two members are not aligned and in registerwith each other. Furthermore, the ears 37 of contact plate 29 and slots-17 of cap 15 may be fewer or greater in number and of different shapesthan shown, if desired. Various other changes may also be made in thedesign and arrangement of the parts illustrated, as well as in thematerials suggested without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, as the same will now be understood by those inthe art.

What is claimed is:

l. A switch comprising a plurality of contacts, a contactor movable withrespect to the contacts between a first terminal position in which itbridges the contacts and a second terminal position in which it isremoved from the contacts, resilient means urging the contactor towardone terminal position, power means which when energized overcomes theresilient means and moves the contactor toward its other terminalposition, and manually operated latch means selectively to retain thecontactor in said other terminal position or to permit the resilientmeans to move the contactor toward said one terminal position, the latchmeans comprising means automatically releasing the latch uponenergization of the power means.

2. A switch as defined in claim 1, wherein the contactor is mounted forreciprocation between its terminal positions.

3. A switch comprising a plurality of contacts, a contactor movable withrespect to the contacts between ak first terminal position in which itbridges the contacts and a second terminal position in which it isremoved from the contacts, the contactor being mounted for reciprocationbetween its terminal positions, resilient means urging the contactortoward one terminal position, power means which when energized overcomesthe resilient means and moves the contactor toward its other terminalposition, and manually operated latch means selectively to retain thecontactor in said other terminal position or to permit the resilientmeans to move the contactor toward said one terminal position, the latchmeans being reciprocable into an outer engagement with the contactor,and resilient means urging the latch means toward its inoperativeposition wherein it is out of engagement with the contactor.

4. A switch as defined in claim 3, comprising detent means includinginterengaging means on the contactor and the confronting end of thelatch means.

5. A switch as defined in claim 4, wherein the latch means when inoperative position holds the contactor in a position somewhat short ofits said other terminal position, and the interengaging means is soconstructed and arranged that it is released upon energization of thepower means and consequent movement of the contactor `toward its saidother terminal position.

6. A switch as defined in claim 5, wherein the latch means is a plungerrotatable about its axis of reciprocation, and comprising resilientmeans imposing a torque on the plunger in a first direction, and whereinthe interengaging means on the plunger and contactor when operativelyengaged hold `the plunger from rotation against the action of thetorque-imposing resilient means.

7. A switch as defined in claim 6, wherein the detent includes meansretaining the plunger from axial move- 4ment toward said one terminalposition of the contactor when the interengaging means on the plungerand contactor are operatively engaged, said plunger retaining meansbeing so constructed and arranged as to allow axial movement of theplunger away from the contactor when the plunger has turned in saidfirst direction into a predetermined position.

8. A switch as defined in claim 7, comprising stop means for preventingturning of the plunger in said first direction past said predeterminedposition.

9. A switch as defined in claim l, wherein the contactor bridges thecontacts when it is in its said one terminal position.

l0. A switch as defined in claim 1, wherein the power means is anelectromagnet.

11. A switch as defined in claim 1, wherein the resilient means normallyurges the contactor toward said second terminal position and wherein thepower means when energized moves said contactor toward said firstterminal position.

12. A switch as defined in claim 1, wherein said latch means comprisesmeans to manually release the latch.

13. A switch as defined in claim 5 wherein the contactor bridges thecontacts when it is somewhat short of its other terminal position andcontinues to bridge the contacts as it moves toward and reaches saidother terminal position.

14. In a switch the combination of a plurality of contacts, a contactormovable between a irst terminal position in which it bridges thecontacts and a second terminal position in which it is removed from thecontacts, resilient means urging the contactor toward one terminalposition, power means which when energized overcomes the resilient meansand moves the contactor to its other terminal position, and manuallyoperated latch means to engage and retain the contactor in a positionsomewhat short of its said other terminal position, and means toautomatically disengage the latch and contactor upon energization of thepower means.

15. In a switch the combination orf a plurality of contacts, a contactormovable between a first terminal position in which it bridges thecontacts anda second terminal position in which it is removed from thecontacts, resilient means urging the contactor toward one terminalposition, power means which when energized overcomes the resilient meansand moves the contactor Ito its other terminal position and manuallyoperated reciprocable latch means biased to be normally held out ofengagement with the contactor, cooperable interengaging means on thelatch means and the contactor whereby the latch 4and the contactor areengaged when the latch moves the contactor to a position somewhat shortof Iits said other terminal position, and the co-operable interengagingmeans being so constructed and arranged as to become disengaged uponenergization of the power means and the consequent movement of thecontactor to its other terminal position.

16. A switch comprising a plurality of contacts, a contactor mounted forreciprocation between a first terminal position in which it bridges thecontacts and a second terminal position in which it is removed from thecontacts, resilient means urging the contactor toward the said firstterminal position, power means which when energized overcomes theresilient means and moves the contactor minal position in which it isremoved from Vthecontacts and a second terminal positionii'n `which itAbridges vthe contacts, resilient means urging the `contactor towardsaid first terminal position, power Ameans -whichfwhen energizedovercomes the resilient means and moves the Vcontactor into said secondterminal position,'and manually operated latch means to engage andretain the contactor in a position somewhat short of said secondterminalposition and to'bridge said contacts.

18. A switch comprising a plurality of contacts, la contactor mountedfor reciprocation betweenfa `first` terminal position in which 'it isremoved from the contacts anda second terminal position in which litbridges the contacts, resilient means urging the contactor toward Vvsaidrst terminal position, power means which'when energized over- `-comesthe :resilient means and moves the contactor to said 'second terminalposition to bridge thecontacts, and manually operated latch means toengage and retain the contactor invaposition somewhat short ofv saidsecond terminal 'position and bridging said contacts, and means toautomatically disengage the latch and Acontactor -upon energization ofthe power means and the consequent `movement of the contactar to -saidsecond terminalpositon.

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